


The O'Driscolls Daughter

by MALLR4TS



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Arguments, Awkward Flirting, Bad Flirting, Branwen - Freeform, Colter - Freeform, F/M, Fantasizing, Fights, First Dates, Fishing, Flirting, Friends to Lovers, Grizzlies West, Horses, Lake Isabella, Masturbation, Robbery, Slow Burn, Stagecoach, Strangers to Lovers, Will add tags as I go
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:08:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25699327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MALLR4TS/pseuds/MALLR4TS
Summary: You're Colms daughter, stubborn and temperamental like him, but you've got a kind heart and a soft spot for the poor stable-boy that Colms gang torments.
Relationships: Kieran Duffy/Reader
Comments: 19
Kudos: 110





	1. I'm just Kieran

**Author's Note:**

> I knooooow Colms gang has been around for only a decade but lets just pretend they've been around since before you were born :^)  
> also, I think the Del Lobos don't appear at Lake Cairn till after Chapter 1 buuuut lets pretend theyre there for the sake of this fic.
> 
> Tumblr is @MALLR4TS

Colm O'Driscoll has laid with many women, though most were not consensual. You were the product of an odd affair, your mother actually falling for the man in his early years. She left you on his doorstep after Colm turned his back on her, calling her nothing more than a 'whore' and 'pity-fuck.'   
You had no idea who she was, and wouldn't be surprised if Colm had killed her long ago.

To everyones surprise, Colm actually took you in and raised you within the gang. He was a lousy excuse for a parent, barely being there for you throughout the years. You had no treasured memories of him, nothing normal like reading bedtime stories to you, playing games with you, spoiling you on your birthday.  
There were memoried you tried to treasure, like him teaching you how to shoot, hunt, and kill, but they were definitely not normal.  
Unfortunately, you had picked up a few of your father's traits, but thankfully not all. You were short-tempered, not afraid to snap, and would shoot first, question later. Oh, and you were just as wanted as Colm. You saw your first ever personal bounty poster at the age of ten. Colm had framed it in his cabin; that was one of the few times you'd seen him so proud.

You're in your early twenties and arguably second in command within your father's gang. Colms other right-hand man, Tom, considered himself to be next in line since he had known Colm since before you were born. Yours and Toms' relationship was... heated. Colm knew the two of you didn't get along, yet would snap at the two of you to 'put your fucking differences aside' whenever he needed you to work together.   
Colm would usually have to pick one of you to take charge, taking it in turns. Fairs fair, I guess. 

Here you are, returning from a failed mission. Colm had asked the two of you and some other disposable men to track down the Del Lobos hideout and clear it, seeing as your hideouts were far too close together.   
You approach your gangs current hideout, a camp just southwest of Lake Isabella. Yes, it was fucking freezing up here, but Colm ran up here to escape the Pinkertons on his tail. Sadly, his gang wasn't the only one with that idea, but it seemed to work. No one had found you all, yet. 

You dismount your horse just as they're riding into the stable, leading them into a pen and hitching them. Tom follows behind, hitching his in a pen beside you. 

"You better clean this nag good, boy," Tom shouts over to the stableboy, currently cleaning another horse.

"I will, Sir," he responds. 

You don't know his name, he's only been with the gang for a few months. He seems like a bundle of nerves, constantly shaking and flinching around everyone. The men loved to pick on him, they loved watching his tail shake in between his legs as they torment him. You'd seen him get hit over the pettiest of things; their saddles not being clean enough, the horses having a tiny knot in their manes, a nail on their hooves being a centimeter out of place.

You remembered the only time one of the men tried to hit you. You were in your mid-teens, starting to find your role within the gang. One member had challenged your authority, claiming you were just a child and that 'Colms daughter should get no special treatment.'   
He had gone to hit you over some petty thing you barely remembered, but you did remember the look in his eyes when you gripped hold of his hand just as he tried to swing for you. His wrist felt like it was going to break as you'd tightened your grip. To everyones surprise, you kicked the back of his knee, causing him to fall to the ground. You then let go of his wrist, shoving him forward so he lay flat on his front. Without thinking, you stomped hard, feeling the crack of his bone as you snapped his arm like a twig.   
It all happened within a matter of seconds. You weren't thinking, enraged that not only was this man constantly picking on you, but had tried to put his hands upon you.

Colm had stormed out of his cabin after hearing the commotion. You were quick to explain what'd happened, the other men watching backing you up. Colm scoffed at the man crying on the ground, telling him to 'get out of my sight.' The guy quickly got up, gripping his broken arm, and ran as fast as he could.   
Your father seemed proud of you, putting his arm around your shoulder as he lead you into the cabin, fixing you a drink to 'celebrate.'   
The only other man to pick on you was Tom, though he mostly just said small petty comments behind Colms back. You'd called Tom out in front of your father many times but Colm never seemed fussed, probably not wanting to pick between the two of you.

"You fuck up like last time and I'll beat you till the snow turns red," Tom threatens him. 

"Lay off, Tom," you order him. Tom snaps his head over to you.

"Oh oh oh! You soft for this pipsqueak?" Tom laughs, pointing at the stableboy who looks rather uncomfortable. He stays silent, watching the two of you bicker.

"I'm soft on no one. You just pick on anyone you view as lesser than yourself. You must have a lot of confidence issues, Tom," you smirk at him, heading out of the stables with him on your tail. 

"I ain't the one with confidence issues here, girl. Just cause you got your whore mommas ugly looks don't mean you can take it out on me," Tom replies, following you over to Colms cabin. 

"Why you usin' my insult against me? Can't think of your own?" 

"I... what? No. I ain-" you cut him off.

"There there, it's alright, poor little Thomas," you taunt. That was a name that always made him turn red. You look over your shoulder to see that exact expression growing on his face.

"Now you better stop with al-" 

"Tom. Shut up," Colm says as the two of you enter his cabin, Tom barking down your ear, not giving Colm a good impression. 

Tom huffs but remains silent. Colm looks at the two of you for a moment, sat down at his table. The three of you remain silent until Colm snaps.

"Well? How'd it go? I'm gonna guess from the arguin' and silence that you fucked up," Colm half-shouts. 

"Tom fucked up. Again." You state. Colm draws his gaze away from you, over to his right-hand man. 

"Now hang on just a damn minute. There's a good fucking reason to why we fucked up." 

"You, not we," you correct him.

"And that reason is...?" Colm's losing his patience. 

"Well, we took out most of em, till THE Flaco fucking Hernández showed up. Killed all those men we took with us. We bolted just in time." 

Colm can't be angry at either of you for this. Flaco was one of the world's most famous gunslingers, the 'Terror of the Grizzlies.' Just about anybody would lose a fight against him, including Colm himself.   
Colm sighs, rubbing his temples in frustration. 

"You're sure it was him?" Colm asks, looking down at the table. 

"Not unless you know any other giant Mexican outlaws, yes," you sarcastically respond. 

"Great. The two of you, get outta my sight. I gotta think about how to deal with this." 

Both of you turn and leave, no one saying a word as you exit the cabin. Tom sulks off, probably going to join his little gang of friends. You make your way over to the stew pot, grabbing yourself a bowl of whatever was on the menu today.  
You're quick to eat, wanting to check on your horse after today's shootout. You heard them whine during the fight but didn't see anything as you were checking on your ride back. 

You find your way over to the stables, looking around for the sun to figure out what time it is. She's getting ready to set, her rays peeking out from behind the many mountains that surround your camp. You enter the stable, stomping the snow off your boots as you shut the door behind you. The stableboys not here for once, which is fine as you weren't in the mood to make awkward conversation. 

You approach your mount, feeding them a few pocketed treats as you begin to check for any signs of pains or discomfort. You're quick to notice a bandage on their lower leg, your heart dropping as you begin panicking. You kneel down, peeking under the bandage to see how bad the wound was.   
The stable doors quickly open and shut, the stableboy returning. He huffs into his gloves, trying to blow hot air onto his face to warm his reddened cheeks up. The two of you notice each other at the same time, looking over your shoulder to watch him stand in his tracks, eyes wide. He looks like you've just caught him doing something he shouldn't have.   
The two of you are awkwardly silent, both staring at each other. 

"Hello," you say. You really had no idea what else to say to break the tension. 

"Evening, Miss," he responds, calming himself down as he makes his way over to his own horse. 

"You taken care of my horse?" you ask him. He looks a little puzzled till he realizes you're on about their wound. 

"Oh. Yes, Miss. It ain't nothin' to worry about, just a little scratch but I didn't want nothin' rubbin' against it," he informs you. 

"Thank you," you say as you stand up. "Are they okay to ride?" 

"I mean, you could, but they ain't gonna be too happy about it," he responds, feeding his own horse a few pocketed treats.

"You ain't gotta answer me like I'm one of them boys. I wanna know the brutal truth, I ain't gonna snap at you for bein' honest and doin' what's right," you inform him. You have a gut feeling that you shouldn't ride, but you want to hear it from the horse master himself.

"Oh.. I err... Well, no. You should let 'em rest a little while. If you take em out in that snow it could get infected," he tells you. 

"The honest truth. I love it. Thank you, Mister...?" you trail off, wanting to know his name. You make your way over to him, leaning back against one of the pen fences, watching him fuss his horse.

"Oh, no, I'm just Kieran. I ain't no 'Mister' somethin'," Kieran looks away, looking defeated. 

"Yes, you are. You're a man, ain'tcha?" You ask him. 

"The last time I checked, I was, yeah," Kieran jokes. You let out a laugh. This stableboy was funny. 

"Well then, Kieran, who are ya?" 

"Duffy," he responds. 

"Kieran Duffy, that's a real cute name," you tell him. "I'd introduce myself but everybody knows who I am," you shrug.

Is he... blushing? Or still flustered from the sudden change of temperature? A wicked part of you is eager to find out how red he can really go, in a flustered sense, not a bloody one. 

"Thank you," Kieran sheepishly replies, stuttering a little. "Yeah, I know you is Colms daughter." Kieran seems nervous as he tells you that, which isn't a surprise. You'd had many people cower once they find out whose daughter you are. Sometimes you enjoy it, liking the little power trip you get, but other times you wished you were just some normal girl that lived a normal life.

"Yeah," you laugh. "Don't remind me." 

"Oh... Well, I'm sorry, Miss. I don't wanna tread on no ones toes," Kieran replies. He watches you as you climb up and sit on the pen's fence, your legs resting on the wooden plank below, keeping you in place. 

"It's alright, darlin'. You ain't doin' anything wrong," you turn to see him going red again. Darlin'? Something tells you this man doesn't get much attention, especially from women.

"Well er... that's good to hear," Kieran lightly laughs. He looks away, pulling out a brush so he can clean his already overly-groomed horse. You watch him, noticing how his eyes flick over to look at you every now and again, face going redder as he meets your gaze every time. 

"You're real good at carin' for these horses, you know that?" you ask him, breaking the silence.

"Oh, thank you, Miss," Kieran replies.

"Do my fathers men not compliment you on your work?" 

"I'm sorry to sound so blunt, but all your fathers men do is use me as their punchin' bag." Kieran has sadness in his eyes, trying not to look at you.

"Which ones?" you sternly ask, taking Kieran back. 

"W-what?" 

"Which ones do that to you?" 

"I... I don't know many names here, Miss. But you seen it earlier, that Tom fella is one of the main ones. Most of 'em do it. Usually one will start and the others will join in, bit of a gang thing, you know?" Kieran sheepishly replies. He's internally screaming, worried he's just chucked himself under the bus. He can see rage on your face, yet he's not sure if you're going to snap at him for being a tattletale, or snap at them. 

"The next time they do that, you come tell me, alright?"

"Yes, Miss," Kieran says under his breath, giving his head a little nod. 

"I'm serious. You work harder than most of those idiots, especially Tom. He's a real fuckin' clown."

"Thank you, Miss. I really appreciate it," Kieran sincerely replies, giving you a little smile.

"I'd tell you to keep up the good work but I know you will," you say as you shuffle off the fence, slowly making your way out. "I'll see you later, sweetheart," you say as you exit. 

Kierans glad you've left, only because his face is redder than a tomato. Kieran hears you trudge away through the snow and once he's certain you're gone, he turns to Branwen. 

"Sweetheart?! You hear that, Branwen?" Kieran asks under his breath, trying to keep his voice down. He talks to Branwen all the time, but only in private. God forbid anyone ever heard, they'd probably hang him for being so 'weird.' 

"She called me darlin' too, and cute. And she complimented my work... and she's got my back. What in gods name is goin' on?" Kieran asks, his face still flustered. He picks at his scarf, trying to let some air in to cool himself down. 

"What the hell am I meant to do? That's Colms DAUGHTER, and there she is bein' sweet on me! This must be one big joke. I bet them fellas were listenin' in the whole time, gigglin' to themselves," Kieran huffs, trying to make this situation as negative as his mind will allow him. 

Branwen gives Kieran a look. If horses could talk, he'd be saying 'don't be silly, this ain't a prank. That woman's clearly got eyes for you.' 

"No way," Kieran responds. "There ain't no way a woman like that would go for a boy like me," Kieran folds his arms, leaning back against the fence. He thinks to himself, going over what just happened in his head. He's trying to pick away at it but everything you said seemed so sincere, so kind, so gentle. 

Kieran slumps about the stable, lighting a few lanterns dotted about the place. He gets himself ready for bed, lying down on a pile of hay at the back of the stable. His arms are folded under his head, one ankle over the other. He's still thinking about you, trying to convince himself this is all a joke. 

It can't be. It was far too kind. 

Kieran puts his hands over his face and lets out a small scream, angry that he has no idea what to do. He's had a soft spot for you the second he laid eyes upon you, but quickly buried those thoughts as soon as he found out who you were. Colm will definitely chop his dick off and force him to eat it if he ever caught even just the tiniest hint that Kieran liked you. 

Kieran decides to do what he does best, bury his feelings. He rolls onto his side, facing the wall. He tries to force himself to sleep but as soon as he shuts his eyes, all he can see if you. 

Kieran then feels the worst thing that can happen to himself right now. 

Kierans rock hard, solid. 

His boner rubs against the inside of his jeans, urging him to at least get it out so it's not painful. Kieran sits upright, shuffling so his back is pressed against the stable walls. He undoes his jeans, letting his cock spring free and rest against his white shirt.  
He wants to touch himself, he really does, but he's telling himself off for getting this hard over such a small conversation. The guys so deprived, it's amazing how just a few kind words have made his heart flutter and his cock hard. 

Kieran huffs, crossing his arms, frowning with his cock out, waiting for it to go down.

'I ain't... I ain't jackin' off to her. Again.' Kieran tells himself

There's no denying it. Kierans has gotten off to the thought of you many times, though he's not proud of it. He can't help it, you make him feel so dizzy every time he looks at you.   
He sits there a little while longer, trying to think of anything but you. He looks around the stable and the first thing his eyes come across is your mount, making him huff. How was he meant to not think of you? 

'Fine.' He sighs, talking to himself in his head. 'You're pathetic, you know that? Gettin' off to some poor woman just cause she called you a few sweet names.' 

Kieran pulls his gloves off, his warm hands wrapping around his cock. He starts slowly, trying to think of anything else to jack off to, but everything flicks back to you. He eventually gives up, allowing himself to really think about you. 

'This is the last time you're doin' this,' he tells himself. 

Once he's happy with his little self-discipline talk, he lets his mind wander. Kieran allows himself to get as dirty as he wants, but the first thing that comes to mind is how good your ass looks in that tight pair of jeans. Yes, he's checked you out many times, usually as you're mounting your horse. He's often wanted to pull you off your horse, bend you over the pen's fence, and fuck you there till your knees are weak.

Kieran picks up the pace, letting his eyes fall shut and mouth part slightly. He thinks about earlier, how he wishes you'd have called him over to stand in front of you whilst you were sat on the fence. He wishes you'd grabbed a hold of him by his O'Driscoll scarf and pulled him against you, letting your lips meet. He wishes you'd have wrapped your legs around his waist as you made out with him, uring him to grind against you.   
Kieran doesn't wish for much, but you're top on his list. 

Kieran lets out a small whimper, quickly opening his eyes to ensure himself that yes, no one is around. He shuts them again, huffing and trying to remain silent as he continues, starting to feel himself get close.  
The only person he wants around is you, fuck the rest of the gang. He'd love for you to come in here and put your lips around his cock, he'd probably cum the second your lips touch him. 

Kieran lets out a sharp gasp as he cums, quickly lifting his shirt so it doesn't ruin his already tatty clothes. He rests there for a moment, suddenly realizing how absolutely fucked he is.   
He's got the hots for you real bad, and he knows that if you decide to keep being sweet on him then Colm will find out sooner or later. Kieran reminds himself that it was probably just a one-time thing, or that you were just messing with him. 

Kieran wipes himself down on the hay, not having anything else to clean up with. He chucks it away from him, shuffling back over to his usual sleep spot after pulling his pants back up. Kieran lies back down facing the wall, falling asleep a lot faster this time, still thinking of you.


	2. Arm Wrestling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hehehehe, had a few ppl prod me to update so here u go

It's another lovely day in Grizzlies West. Despite the sun shining overhead, it's still cold as fuck. The men groan as they mope about the camp, waiting for orders off Colm, waiting for somebody to come and attack them, anything. They're practically waiting for paint to dry, beating each other up as a form of entertainment. 

Tom's wasting the day by arm-wrestling some of the men. He's only winning purely from his size, targeting men much smaller than him to challenge. They're sat in what's left of a cabin, one wall is completely gone whilst the other three and the roof are barely standing. 

Tom can feel his elbow going sore as it slowly slides across the crate, his opponent putting up too much of a fight for Tom's liking. His eyes flick over to the sudden movement, lighting up when he notices Kieran exiting the stables just a few meters away. 

Shaking off his opponent, Tom calls out to Kieran. His opponent gives him a funny look, annoyed that he just bailed on the game, but grins as he realized what Tom was about to do.

"Boy, come here!" Tom calls out. 

Kieran's head dips slightly, scurrying over, trying his best to avoid eye contact but still look in their direction. 

"Yes, sir?" Kieran asks.

"Come play a game," Tom tells him as he pats his hand on the crate, though Kieran knows it's an order. An order he's happy to refuse.

"Oh? Oh, no. That ain't for me, sir," Kieran rejects.

"C'mon, kid. I'll go easy on ya," Tom chuckles. Everybody present knows that Tom will probably try to break Kieran's arm. 

"Nahhh, I... I ain't one for that," Kieran waves his hands in front of his body, feet turned inwards. He has no idea how to escape this situation. 

"Boy," Tom grunts as he stands up, taking a slow walk over to Kieran. "When I tell you to do something, you do it," Tom tells him, stopping a few inches from Kieran. Tom's got his chest slightly puffed out, shoulders back as he intimidates the poor stableboy. 

"Sir, I'll lose, we both know that. Ain't much of a fight," Kieran explains to him, trying his best to remain a pacifist and keep this situation under control. 

"Like I said, I'll go easy on ya," Tom tells him. Kieran gulps, his fingers twiddling together. He's about to speak until a familiar voice catches everybody's attention. It's your own.

"He said no, Tom," you tell Tom. You'd been nearby this whole time, sharpening your knife as you lean back against the ruins of another cabin. Either Tom had no idea that you were there, or he did and was trying to wind you up. 

"You wanna challenge me instead? Create a distraction so this boy here can take the chance and run?" Tom asks you, his face turned towards you, though his body still faces Kieran. 

"I ain't one for child-like games. What's next? You gonna ask me to play iSpy?" you chuckle as you holster your knife, leaving the whetstone on a nearby crate. A few of the men can be heard giggling, Toms head snapping over his shoulder as he glares at them, instantly shutting them up. 

"I ain't afraid to beat a woman, you know that," Tom informs you as he finally moves away from Kieran, slowly approaching you. You take a few steps forward, meeting Tom halfway. 

You're close. Noses almost touching, chest and stomach pressed against each other. Tom's got that mischievous glint in his eyes, eager to irritate you as much as possible. The men are watching, holding their breaths as they wait for something to happen... anything! 

"That a threat, little Tommy?" you ask him, making him scowl. 

"It is, and don't you know it," Tom responds. Kieran can be seen slowly shuffling away, trying to get some distance but still keeping an eye on the situation. 

"What you gonna do, fat man?" you ask him.

Tom finally snaps, suddenly pushing you back. As he pushes your shoulder, his foot hooks itself behind your ankle, sending you falling backward, thudding against the snowy floor. You hear the snow crunch underneath you, your head beginning to ache from the impact. 

Despite the landscape being mostly white, all you can see is red. Tom slips up, turning to the men as he points at you on the floor, laughing over his shoulder. They join in like the bunch of sheep they are. 

A window has opened, and you're quick to jump through it. You spring to your feet, your fist clenching as you stand. Tom turns at just the right time, a perfect punch landing right across his face. You can hear the cracking of his jaw, feeling it swing against your knuckles. 

Tom stumbles backward for a few seconds, finally landing on his ass as he holds his face. The men remain silent, and Kieran's in the background, watching all of this with wide eyes and an open mouth. 

This woman, Colm O'Driscolls daughter, had just punched the soul out of Colms right-hand man, all for what? picking on a stableboy? 

Colm always seems to appear at the wrong time. He shows up to find Tom on the floor, your fist still clenched and your brows still furrowed. Colm can clearly see that you've just hit his right-hand man, though he has no idea why. 

"For fuck sake," your father says as he approaches the situation. "I wish I could spend just one single day without the two of you getting into a scrap. You're practically family! Why do you fight like this?"

Neither of you says anything.

"___, come with me. Tom, get yourself cleaned up and see me later," Colm orders the two of you. 

You and Tom share a quick glance before you turn heel and walk, following Colm back to his cabin. 

This feeling was far too familiar, that feeling you get when you're heading to the principles office, or when your boss has asked to speak with you privately. Your tail doesn't hide between your legs, you have no reason to be scolded, though as always, you know the blame will fall on you.

Colm takes his usual seat as you shut the door, sitting in your usual chair opposite him. He pours himself a drink from the bottle already on the table, swirling it around in his glass before taking a sip. He doesn't offer you one, he only does that when he's proud of you. Today was not one of those days. 

"You were never a problem growing up. You were so obedient and calm. But now you're older and you're starting to spread your wings, all you seem to do is hit Tom with them," Colm tells you, having another sip of his drink before placing it down on the table. "Why?" he asks. 

"Your bitch isn't as obedient as you think," you reply.

"Tom's got his flaws but don't we all?" Colm shrugs. 

"Tom's got a lot more flaws than you think. You can shrug it off all you want, but that man isn't right in the head." You tap your finger against your temple as you speak. 

"And what was it this time? What did he do that upset you?" 

"He was picking on the men," you explain, your voice just as plain as his own. 

"Which men?" 

"Kieran." 

"Who?" Colm asks, genuinely confused. Colm has always preferred quantity over quality, picking up men wherever he can find them, disposing of them faster than he picked them up.

"The stableboy?" You raise your eyebrows. Sometimes you remembered that this man right here is your father, you always wished you could forget.

"You..." Colm cute himself off, shaking his head. "You punched Tom because he picked on a fucking stableboy?!" Colm raises his voice as he speaks, ending in a shout. 

"Do you want your men to be at each other?" You shout back. You really are your father's daughter.

"I want my men to get on with their jobs. Not fuss each other over fucking nonsense!" 

"This ain't nonsense? Your pathetic excuse for 'men' bum about all day, picking on each other when they should be out working! Finding leads! Robbing folk! Not pissin' about." 

"You tellin' me how to run my gang?" Colm glares. 

"Yes." 

"You fucking run it then. Go on," Colm waves his hand at you in a shooing motion, hoping you'll chicken out. 

"I will. You've seen what I can do, you know I'm good," you sit back, crossing your arms, your voice finally lowering. "I'm your child after all." 

"Robbin' folk ain't nothin' like runnin' an entire gang. If you're so good then prove it to me. Maybe then I'll consider telling the men to stop picking on your stableboy," Colm copies your position without thinking, also leaning back with his arms crossed. He watches you hungrily, waiting for just a glimmer of fear to flash across your face. But it doesn't. 

"Fine. I will. I've already been fishin' somethin' out. I'll get it done," you tell him, getting up from your chair and heading to the door, deciding the conversation was over.

"Oh, and ___?" Colm calls out as you open the door, already halfway through it. You stop in your tracks, sighing as you look over at him. He's smirking. "Take the stableboy with you," Colm orders.

You don't reply, exiting his cabin. You needed some time to yourself.

The sky has already turned orange, evening was here. You're hungry but decide to tell Kieran the bad news first, wanting to give him as much time to prepare as possible. 

So off you go, heading to where Kieran practically lives. As you enter the stable, you feel a nice blast of warm air, wiping away the chill that is constantly on your cheeks and nose.

It's warm in here, all thanks to the horses. Kieran often overhears other gang members complain about how cold the decaying cabins and thin tents are, but thankfully, Kierans never really had any temperature issues.  
The only time he gets chilly is when he's dragged outside for whatever nonsense. In the stables, he can stay warm and surround himself with good company - the horses.

Kieran's head snaps over his shoulder as you appear, shutting the doors quickly behind you. You could have sworn you overheard him mumbling to himself but you're almost certain it was probably some men outside.

He's fussing his horse, his hand resting on the animal's nose as he watches you stomp the snow off your boots. 

"Mister Duffy," you greet him as you approach. He's still visibly shaken from earlier, and now there's a glint of fear in his eyes as he notices how pissed off you look. 

"Miss, you really didn't have to do what you did earlier. I really appreciate it, but I don't want you gettin' in no trouble," Kieran tells you as he moves his hand from his horse's nose, resting it on his neck instead. 

"I already told you, sweetheart, that those clowns need putting in their place and I'm more than happy to do it," you explain as you enter the horse's pen, your hand coming to gently stroke along Kierans horse. 

This is the softest horse you've ever felt. Sure, the other horses are soft, never having that neglectful sticky feeling to their fur, but this one felt unreal. Maybe Kieran conditions his horse's fur every night? That'd explain why he spent so much time in here, cleaning his horse like his life depended on it. 

"Well, I do appreciate it. Did Colm give you much trouble?" Kieran asks, watching your hand pet his horse, his eyes often flicking over to the rest of you.

"Nah. I don't think he can, he's my father after all," you shrug. "What's this gentleman's name?" you ask Kieran.

"Huh? Oh! You mean my horse?" Kierans eyes widen. 

"Yeah."

"Branwen," Kieran tells you. 

"Well, Branwen, you're real soft. Your rider here quite clearly loves you," You tell Branwen. He lets out a small nicker, puffs of chilled air coming from his nose, as if he was thanking you. 

Kieran watches you in awe, his heart melting at the sight of you talking to his horse. He feels a little sick, the butterflies in his stomach dancing around to the sound of his heartbeat. 

"Yeah, not to sound cheesy but he's my world," Kieran rubs the back of his neck, eyes flicking at the stable floor then returning to you. Either Kieran is overheating, or he's blushing. Maybe both? 

"I know how you feel, (H/N) is my world too. I'd be lost without 'em," you reply as you nod in the direction of your stabled mount.

"Yeah. I ain't got much to enjoy in life, but at least I got someone to enjoy my time with," Kieran tells you as his eyes overlook Branwen, giving his horse a gentle rub under his jawline.

"Kieran?" you ask, his attention being drawn to you. "I don't mean to spoil the moment, but I came here to tell you something." 

"Oh, god. What is it?" There's fear to his voice, his flustered red cheeks fading back to his pale skin colour.

"I got a stagecoach robbery that's gonna be happenin' real soon. I understand that you ain't one for fightin', but Colms ordered me to take you with him. I thought I'd let you know in advance," you inform him. 

Kieran lets out a deep sigh. "Guess this is my punishment," he says. 

"No, it's my punishment," you correct him. Kieran gives you a funny look and you're quick to correct him again. "I mean, because Colm knows I'm soft on ya. He views his men as just... men, you know? I view them as human beings. So he's making me take you with me just to get me all worried and stuff," you roll your eyes and shake your head. Typical behavior from your father.

"You ain't gotta be worried about me, Miss. I'm just a stableboy," Kieran shrugs as he looks down at the floor.

"You are just a stableboy, but we need people like you! If it weren't for you, our horses would constantly be a mess. You're like, the foundation to a house. You get me? Without you, we'll just topple over," you explain to him. Kieran catches on to what you're saying, nodding his head in agreement, a smile creeping across his face.

"No ones ever put it like that before, thank you, Miss," Kieran replies, letting out a little laugh as he thinks about what you've just said. 

"How many times have I told you to stop callin' me that? It's ___. Don't be afraid to say my name," you tease him, his cheeks flustering again. 

"Well, ___, thank you," Kieran replies, a little sheepishly. 

"Now, I gotta go get some dinner," you say as you exit the pen after giving Branwen another pat. "You get your guns ready. I'll make sure you have the safest job." 

You flash Kieran a smile before heading out, quickly shutting the stable doors behind you to stop the cold air from seeping in. Yet again, you've left Kieran in a mushy state, his heart still thudding, finally allowing himself to let out the grin that he's been holding back on this whole time. He's like a child getting worked up over their crush, giving Branwen a hug, pretending he's you. 

"It's happened again," Kieran tells Branwen, his eyes shutting as he smiles to himself, head still resting against Branwen's neck. "She's done it again, Branwen. I've got them butterflies back, I can feel my heart poundin' out my chest."

Kieran moves off his horse, moving to lean back against the fence so he can speak to Branwen properly. 

"She called me sweetheart, told me to call her by her actual name, said she'd make sure I'm safe. All that real good stuff!" 

Branwen lets out a snort, his head flicking up slightly. Kieran can see Branwen cheering him on, getting excited on Kieran's behalf.

"She met you as well! Ain't that nice! Introduced you to her and everythin'. You two are gonna be best buds before you know it," Kieran laughs, his voice a little lowered as he doesn't want to attract the attention of anybody who may be outside. 

"I'm real nervous for this job though. But I know I'll be safe with her," Kieran worries, watching Branwen give him a little nod in agreement. 

"Guess I should go clean my gun, huh?" Kieran sighs, pouting a little, hating the idea of going into combat. 

"I'm gonna go get some dinner. I'll be right back, then we can talk a little more," Kieran tells Branwen as he makes his way out of the pen, pulling on his gloves before exiting the stable, off to pick at whatever scraps were left.

Branwen's sat down when Kieran returns. Kieran takes a seat beside him, leaning back against his horse as he eats. The two spend the rest of the night fawning over you, too star-struck to bother thinking about the job.


	3. The Heist

It's the day of the heist and you were really not looking forward to it. Colm had instructed you to take Kieran, which was fine, along with a few disposable men, and unfortunately, Tommy had to come. Colm had assured you that Tommy knows you're in charge, but that doesn't mean he's not going to act up. Knowing Tommy, he'll find some way to ruin this and point the blame on you, or maybe attempt to shoot Kieran when you're not looking. 

You're leading the way, trotting behind Hanging Dog Ranch; a ranch that was home to a few rather odd folk. Colm had been eyeing up that place for weeks now, a possible hideout that he'd soon take over for himself. 

The stagecoach was coming through Big Valley at some point this afternoon, full of rich folk from the state beyond West Elizabeth. You'd never been west of Strawberry, but you'd heard there was a thick line before poor and rich folk out there. You are poor, so what's wrong with robbing a few rich folk? Especially the snobby ones? 

"What's the plan then, boss?" Tommy asks, spitting that last word. He's to your right, catching up to trot alongside you. 

"We'll bring the coach to a halt, you other boys will surround them, threaten any gunmen they might have, and hope we rob them without having to kill anyone," you explain. 

"That it? Nice 'n' kind? That's no fun. Why don't we just shoot 'em all and enjoy lootin' the corpses, huh?" Tommy suggests.

"You know I ain't a fan of unnecessary killings. I'm not as... barbaric as you," you turn to talk to him, frowning at his stupid suggestions. 

"You're real soft for Colm's bloodline," Tommy tuts, shaking his head.

"And purple is really your colour, little Tommy," you smirk. 

Tommy looks away, trying to hide the nice purple bruise you had left under his eye when you punched him a few days ago. It's weird to not have Tommy barking back, but he probably knows that you'd be happy to sacrifice him during this robbery if it all went wrong.

You and your posse steer off the trail, hiding up along the trees just north of Owanjila. There's a small ledge where the path is visible below, so you send Kieran to scout, holding Branwen by the reigns for him. 

It doesn't take long before Kieran comes sneaking back over, quietly informing you that they were here whilst he mounts Branwen. 

"Right, we know the plan, boys?" you ask your posse. They nod and let out a string of yes's. "Remember. No shooting unless I say, or unless they try and shoot you first. Now let's go," you quietly tell them, trotting ahead as you pull your green O'Driscoll scarf up over your nose.

Tommy follows you, equipping his bandana. The two of you call out to the coach, guns in hand, and sternly tell them to pull over. The man riding shotgun has his gun at the ready, followed by the two guards that are trailing behind on horseback. The rest of your posse surrounds the carriage, and the gunmen are quick to realize they're outnumbered. 

"You know the drill. We just want your valuables, and we're not keen on killing folk over a few dollars," you tell them, eyes flicking from the driver to the gunmen. 

"We ain't got much on us," one of the passengers tells you. A snobby looking woman who no doubt, is loaded.

"Well, we'll take that 'much' that you at least have," you shrug. "Duffy, go ahead," you give Kieran the signal. He demounts Branwen, taking the sack and holding it open as he approaches the passengers.

They throw in a few small trinkets, a couple of dollars at most.

"That it? It's amazing how little you rich folk will give to charity," you shake your head, shunning them for their lack of kindness. 

"Boys, there a lock on the back?" you ask one of your men. 

"Yep," he tells you, pointing his gun at the compartment on the back of the stagecoach, waiting for your orders. 

"Shoot it," you instruct him. 

He does as ordered, shooting the lock off, letting the compartment hang open, a nice bundle of loot flashing him. One of the gunmen cocks his gun, ready to fire, but one of your boys takes him out instantly. The other gunmen goes to do the same, but it wiped out just as quickly. It happened within a second, both of their bodies falling to the floor as their horses stormed off, spooked from the gunshots. 

The man riding shotgun, thankfully, puts his gun down and raises his hands, urging the driver to do the same. The passengers inside also raise their hands, but Kieran shakes the bag again, and finally, they comply, chucking the rest of their valuables into the bag. 

Kieran then goes round to the back of the stagecoach, emptying the compartment. Once finished, he ties the bag shut, rushing over to mount Branwen and looking at you for orders. 

"Thank you for your co-operation, ladies and gentlemen," you tell them, signaling for your posse to disperse. 

The lot of you disappear as fast as you arrived, galloping through Big Valley, following that trail behind Hanging Dog Ranch, heading up into the mountains. You slow down your horse, the rest of your posse doing the same, trotting back to the hideout. 

"Was that not violent enough for you, Tommy?" you ask him, lowering your bandana. 

"Not at all," he mumbles, lowering his. "I don't get why you don't just shoot 'em," he shrugs. 

"No need for folk to get murdered over nothing," you inform him. 

"Whatever," Tommy shrugs again. "Say, you trust that stableboy with our loot?" Tommy asks, glaring over at Kieran who was to your left.

"I do. What's he gonna do, Tommy? Try turn heel and run? When the lot of us would chase him down within seconds?" you scoff. What a stupid question. 

"You know how I feel about him," Tommy tells you as if Kieran can't hear. 

You ignore him, turning your attention to Kieran instead. "You did good," you tell him.

"Oh. Thank you, Miss," Kieran replies as he pulls his bandana down.

"Thank you, Miss," Tommy mocks in a high pitched voice. Ugh, here we go. 

"What is your problem?!" You snap, bringing your horse to a sudden halt. The rest of the posse halt their horses also, a few of them whining from the sudden change of pace. 

"Oooh, she's getting riled up now!" Tommy teases. "I just don't get why you're so kind on him."

"Awh, you'd rather I be kind on you instead, Tommy?" you tease, batting your eyelashes at him. "Does the fat man want me to be his little gunslinger wife?" you ask. 

"Don't be disgusting," Tommy scoffs. "Your kindness will be your downfall, you know." 

"And your lack of brain cells will be yours," you roll your eyes. 

"My what?" 

"Exactly." You shake your head, giving your horse a light tap with your spur as you decide to continue. Tommy stays behind, letting himself fall to the back of the posse. For once, he's not letting his anger get the best of him. 

Kieran rides beside you, the rest of your men a few meters behind. "You ain't gotta bark back every time he bites, you know?" Kieran tells you, his eyes on you. 

"If I don't then all he'll do is continue to bite. Men like him, you gotta put 'em in their place," you say, eyes forward on the trail. 

"I get that, I guess. I just feel bad... bein' the cause of all these arguments," Kieran says as his eyes trail downward, looking at the bag of loot resting on his lap. 

"Don't feel bad, Kieran," you say as you turn to him. "I'd defend anyone who is getting picked on by that piece of shit," you scoff. 

"Anyone?" Kieran asks, his heart dropping a little. 

"Well, yeah? I'm not a fan of unnecessary arguments, or picking on folk that you view as lesser than yourself," you explain, eyes moving back onto the road as you approach the hideout.

"Oh, I understand," Kieran replies. 

"Kieran," you say as you turn to him. "You did real good today. I'm glad you didn't have to shoot your gun," you smile. 

"Yeah, thanks," Kieran replies. You don't seem to pick up on the slight disappointment in his voice. "Guess I cleaned it for nothin'," he fake laughs. 

"That's good. I'm glad you didn't have to kill anyone," you tell him as you enter the stable, guiding your horse into their pen. 

Once your horse is hitched, you demount, removing their saddle and placing it over the pen fence. Kieran's pulling into his, and you walk over to take the loot from his hands, freeing them up to he can demount also. 

"I gotta go give this to Colm, but I'll see you later on, alright?" you tell him. 

"Yeah, sure. I'll see you later," Kieran replies. He doesn't watch you leave the stable, focused on taking Branwens saddle off. 

The other posse members trail in, doing the same, followed by Tommy who for once, doesn't pick on Kieran when you aren't around. He shoots Kieran a look, but Kieran has his back turned and doesn't notice. Kieran focuses on brushing Branwen, cleaning off the saddle sweat. 

Once Kieran hears the stable doors shut, he finally lets out a deep sigh, looking around the stable to make sure he's alone. He is, it's just him and the horses. Kieran turns to Branwen and begins to talk quietly. 

"Maybe I wasn't readin' her right," he tells his mount. "I don't think she's sweet on me, Branwen. She said she'd do this for anyone. I think I'm just another stableboy, you know?" Kieran sighs. 

He goes over what you said and the way you said it. All you seem to want to do is be there for people, to stop people like Tommy picking on those who don't or can't defend themselves. You don't see the point in bullying, scaring others to remind them that you're superior; it's rubbish. A little kindness goes a long way. 

"She ain't called me anything sweet today. Hell, she doesn't even feel like the person I met a week ago," Kieran huffs. Branwen gives him his usual look, telling him that he's just being stupid and overly dramatic. 

"Maybe?" Kieran shrugs. "I dunno, Branwen. I get that today was different, that we were around folk 'n' stuff, but... I dunno, maybe I am just overthinking it?" Kieran sighs, continuing to brush his mount.

If Branwen could put his hands on his hips and tut Kieran, he would. But he can't, he's a horse. 

"She did say that, didn't she? That she'd come and see me later? I guess... maybe you are right. I'll just see what she's like later on when we're alone, and hope that maybe today was just an off day for her," Kieran tells him. He puts the brush away in his pocket. "But let's get you and your friends fed first, then we'll just have to wait 'n' see if she visits." 

Kieran spends his evening tending to the horses, doing his usual routine, feeding them before himself. As the minutes pass, Kieran wonders where you are. His stomach grumbles and he agrees to himself that he's hungry, he should probably go and see what scraps are left from today's dinner. 

It's almost nightfall, the sun has pretty much gone to bed behind the mountains, and sadly, when it's nightfall up here in the mountains, it gets really dark. There's only so much light a lantern can give out, and sadly, Kieran walks with his head dipped down, not noticing the other person walking around the side of the stables. 

"Oof!" You yelp, falling back into the snow. "Fuck! Shit!" You cry. You were carrying two bowls of hot stew, on your way to see Kieran, when he had turned the corner at just the right time and slammed into you, knocking you to the ground whilst he stumbled about, not quite falling over. 

"Oh, shit!" Kieran yelps, realizing what he's done. 

You sit upright, one hand trying to pull your hot shirt away from your chest, the other hand pouring handfuls of snow onto your shirt in hopes of cooling the stew down. Thankfully, it does, and you're now left with a soggy, cold, food-covered shirt. 

"Oh, Jesus. I'm real sorry," Kieran says as he knees down beside you. "Let me.. erm.." he's unsure of how to help. You put one hand out and Kieran is quick to his feet, pulling you up with him. 

"It's alright, Kieran. It's only a shirt," you tell him, keeping your hand on your shirt as you try and not let the soggy mess touch your skin. "Lemme go get changed," you tell him, turning and walking off towards your cabin. 

"Miss, really, I'm so sorry!" Kieran scurries behind you, worried for your safety. He's convinced he's gonna get it now, you're going to tell your father and he'll have Kieran castrated and humiliated for this simple accident. 

"Kieran, sweetheart, it's alright. Accidents happen," you shrug, "I know that far too well," you sigh, knowing that you were an unfortunate accident that was left on Colms doorstep a long time ago.

The pet name you called him seems to have calmed Kieran down a lot. He almost repeats it, wanting to question if you were meant to call him that. But he doesn't, not wanting to dig himself into a deeper hole than he thinks he's already in. 

"You wait here, alright?" You tell Kieran. He nods, standing outside your cabin whilst you go inside to get changed. 

Kieran spends his time staring at the snow, fiddling with his fingers nervously, eyes often flicking around the camp to see who's nearby. It's quiet for once, maybe everyone had gone on another heist? Or went to bed early? 

Kieran continues to mentally beat himself up for messing up. You were carrying two bowls of stew, weren't you? One of them was clearly for him. How kind of you, the small act of kindness sends Kieran back into a mushy messy, forgetting about all the doubts he had earlier. 

"Here," you say as you exit your cabin, handing Kieran some dry goods you could munch on for dinner. 

"Oh, no. I can't accept that, not after what I just did," Kieran nervously replies as he tries to deny your offer. 

"You could make it up to me by having some dinner," you say as you shake the food in your hand, urging Kieran to take it. 

"Alright," Kieran says as he takes it from you. "Thank you," he adds, nervously looking at the food in his hand. 

"Come sit by the campfire with me a while," you offer, though Kieran knows it's more of an order.

Kieran follows you over to the campfire. There's what's left of a gazebo with a hole cut in the roof so the smoke can rise. For once, there's no snow all over the floor, as the gazebo was still decently standing and kept the snow out. You take a seat on the log, Kieran sitting beside you. The two of you eat your dinner, not really talking as you were too busy scoffing down your food. 

"So, erm..." Kieran begins, breaking the silence. "Tommy given you any more grief today?" he asks. 

"I ain't seen him since the heist," you shrug. "I think him and Colm went out scouting for another camp to move to, somewhere that ain't covered in snow." 

"I don't mean to offend, but it always sounds so odd you callin' him Colm rather than Pa." 

"Thinking about it, I ain't ever really called him Pa. Not since I was little," you reply, pondering about when you last actually called Colm your father in any form.

"I think the last time I called him that was when I was 14, maybe younger. He ain't ever really felt like a father so, no use in callin' him one," you shrug. It didn't bother you much. Sure, you'd love to have a normal childhood with normal parents and live in a normal town. But there's no point stressing over a life that you don't have, so you might as well work with what you've got. 

"My parents passed when I was young, so I ain't really known that feeling for a long time either," Kieran tells you as he stares at the campfire. 

"What were they like?" you ask, looking at him. 

"I don't remember 'em too much, but they were really kind folk. Down to earth, you know? Genuine people. They got sick and died one after the other, and I was left on my own after that," Kieran tells you. 

"I'm sorry to hear that. It seems life has a funny way of removing the purest of folk from the earth, leavin' the rest of us bastards to run this hellhole," you sigh. Kieran looks at you with wide eyes, a little scared. "Sorry. That was a little dark," you lightly laugh. 

"Just wasn't expectin' that from you, Miss," Kieran replies. 

"Ugh, Kieran," you sigh as you roll your eyes. "How many times have I gotta tell you? It's ___, not Miss!" 

"I'm sorry, Mi- I mean, ___. I just so used to callin' everyone around here Sir," Kieran shrugs as he rests his forearms on his thighs. 

"It's alright," you laugh as you nudge him playfully. You look at him at just the right moment, enjoying the way Kierans flustered expression returns from the smallest of actions. 

You're not sure if it was the lighting, but Kieran looked good tonight. He always looks good, with that innocent flare to him, though you can tell that he'd snap if anybody tried to push him too hard. But Kieran was far too cute. It's been so long since you had any kind of attention, most of your father's men were ugly, smelly, and disgusting. But this man sat beside you was a catch, literally. 

Kieran notices that you're admiring him. He briefly looks at the fire, then turns back to you, a little unsure of how he should react. He becomes self-aware, trying to straighten out his hunched back as he attempts to sit normally, making himself look somewhat desirable. You notice his awkwardness and decide to do something about it. 

"I'm gonna head off to bed," you tell him. 

"Oh, well, let me walk you to your cabin," Kieran offers as he stands up. You follow him, barely walking ten paces with him as you reach your door, or what's left of one.

"You should get some sleep too," you tell him as the two of you linger outside. "And..." you begin, taking a step closer to him. You reach up to fiddle with his scarf, making it a little tighter and tucking the ends into his coat. "...stay warm," you tell him as you finish tucking his scarf in. Your eyes flick up to meet his, and the poor boy looks like he's about to pass out.

"T-thank you," Kieran stutters. "I will," he tells you as his hands fiddle with each other. 

"Goodnight, Kieran," you say with a smile, taking a step back and turning in to your cabin. 

"Goodnight," Kieran replies just as you walk in. 

Once your door is closed, Kieran lets out a deep sigh, letting out all the air that he didn't realize he'd been collecting in his lungs. He quickly scurries off, heading to the stables so he can also turn in for the night, but not before nattering to Branwen and maybe sorting out the reoccurring issue in his pants.


	4. A quiet camp

It's been a few lousy days, not much has happened. As always, the snow continues to fall and the sun moves overhead, and that's about as exciting as it gets up in the mountains. Your father continues to babble on and on about the ranch nearby that he wants to take for himself to use as another base. Hopefully, that means moving out from the cold, but you'll just have to wait and see.

"There's that ranch," Colm states yet again.

"Why don't you just take it? You've been muttering about it for weeks," you roll your eyes as you lean back on your chair.

"Not yet. We've been watching them to see how often their supplies roll in. They get another delivery tomorrow, then we'll take it once those supplies arrive so we've got enough provisions for a while."

"And it's in Big Valley, lots of huntin' to do 'round there," Tommy adds on, leaning back against the cabin wall. 

"So, you're taking it tomorrow then?" you ask. 

"Yeah. Tommy and I will sort it whilst you hold down the fort here," Colm tells you. 

"I'll make sure I hold it down from all these elk around here," you chuckle. 

"Those Del Lobos are still nearby. We ain't seen them in a while, but they still may be watchin' us," Colm replies.

"You sent out any scouts to check on 'em?" you ask.

"Yeah, sent some a few days ago. They ain't returned, which speaks for itself." 

"You've probably provoked them," you shake your head. "That wasn't a smart move, especially when they've got Hernández with them." 

"Hernández doesn't scare me. He's old, probably retired. They've just got him there as a scare factor," Colm scoffs, shaking his head back at you. 

"Well, why don't you go see for yourself? If you're not scared of him?"

Colm frowns at you and quickly moves on the conversation, realizing the hole he's accidentally dug himself into. He clearly doesn't want to admit that he is scared of the famous gunslinger less than a few miles away, the one that he's probably provoked by sending his men out to spy on him. Sometimes, your father is smart, but it seems the stress of the Pinkertons on his tail has clouded his thoughts a bit too much. 

"Are you clear on the plan?" Colm asks you. 

"Sure. How long will you be gone for?" 

"Few days, gotta clean up the place. We'll send a message to you when it's safe." 

"Alright." 

And that was that, another boring conversation that could have been resolved in ten seconds, but Colm just had to drag it out. The sun blinds you as you exit his cabin, moving your hand over your eyes as you begin to walk.  
What is there to do now? Your chores are done, it's too early for dinner, the provisions are well stocked. How about you go and annoy Kieran for a while? 

Kieran greets you the same as always when you enter the stables, a cheery tone to his voice, and a little smile on his face. 

"Hey, ___!" 

"Hey, Kieran. How are you?" you ask him as you shut the doors. 

"I'm well, how're you?" 

"Not bad. Just had another talk with Colm about that ranch down south." 

"Hanging Dog? I don't understand why they gotta name their ranch that. Doesn't sound inviting in the slightest," Kieran frowns as he continues cleaning the hooves of one of the horses.

"Yeah, the ranchers there ain't exactly the friendliest either. Guess that's why Colms a little hesitant to take it." 

You take a seat on the pen fence, your legs resting on one of the slats below as you watch Kieran work. He's concentrated on the task at hand but his ears are on you.

"Colm? Hesitant? That's a first," Kieran laughs. 

"I know. He's taking it over himself so I guess that's why. If he just sent his boys to do it then he wouldn't give a shit, but he wants to make sure the job gets done, so," you shrug. 

"You going with 'em?" Kieran asks.

"No. He's taking Tommy. I'm staying here to hold down the fort." 

"Oh, thank God. I ain't gotta worry about Tommy for a few days then," Kieran sighs a big sigh of relief, standing upright as he finishes off cleaning the horses hooves. 

"Has he given you any more trouble?" you ask, watching Kieran exit the pen to place the tools on the small table in the corner of the stables.

"Nah. I ain't seen him around much really, and when I do, he just glares but doesn't try nothing no more," he explains as he picks up a brush and makes his way back over to the horse. 

"Good. Guess he knows he'll have me spanking his ass if he tries anything again," you laugh. Kieran looks at you with wide eyes. 

"You gonna spank him now? I ain't so sure he'll enjoy that," Kieran laughs. 

"We'll just have to wait and see. But he'll get one if he messes with you again." 

"You ain't gotta keep sticking up for me. I really appreciate it, but I don't want you gettin' in any more trouble," Kieran tells you as he continues brushing the horse, his head often turning so he can focus his attention on you. 

"I ain't gonna get into any more trouble," you wave your hand. "And if I do, I ain't fussed about it. Anything for you, Kieran," you smile. 

Kieran pauses his brushing, looking like a deer in the headlights. He looks over at you, his stomach turning and his heart thumping. "Anything for me?" he nervously repeats.

"You heard me right," you tell him with a smirk, watching his cheeks turn red. 

Kieran pauses for a second, going over everything in his head. He finally builds up the courage to ask "Are you flirtin' with me, Miss?" A question he's had on his mind for all these weeks.

"You mean, you've only just realized?" you grin, watching Kieran almost drop the brush out of shock. He looks like a newborn lamb, his legs a little shakey as he tries to find his grip on the world. 

"M-Miss," Kieran stutters. "You mean... you... you have..." Kieran fumbles about with his words, trying to find the reassurance he's after.

"I thought you'd noticed," you say with a light laugh. "Say, I was gonna go fishing at Lake Isabella tomorrow, you wanna come with?" you smile, watching Kierans eyes light up.

"Of course," Kieran replies, "I can't turn down fishin', s...specially with you," he attempts to confidently reply. 

"Good! I'll come find you tomorrow then," you say as you climb down from the fence, making your way over to the stable doors. "You be good now, Kieran," you smile at him. "See you tomorrow, sweetheart." 

"O-Of course. I'll see you tomorrow," Kieran fumbles his reply. 

You exit the stables, leaving Kieran in a flustered mess as always. He can barely focus on getting his chores done, his heart thumping faster than it ever has as he finally comes to the conclusion that you do like him, and you have this whole time. 

Did you just ask him on a date? Can you take someone fishing as a date? There's not much to do up here, sure, but Kieran doubts that anybody would take their romantic interest to hunt with them. Well, you didn't say the word 'date', so Kieran assumes this will just be a friendly little outing, despite both of your obvious feelings towards each other.

But Kieran can't chase after you, can he? How is he meant to date Colm O'Driscoll's daughter? You could date in secret, sure, but that probably won't last long, not with everybody sticking their noses where they don't belong around here. And if Colm found out? He'd have Kieran's head for sure, even if you did put up a fight to stop it from happening. 

Kieran sighs. He's really stuck now, isn't he? He damns himself for getting attached to you. He's had feelings for you the second he laid eyes on you, and they refused to go away when he found out exactly who you were. Maybe you've got a plan, like running away and starting your own life together? Kieran decides that he just has to wait and see what happens.

The rest of your day becomes just as dull and lazy as every other day has been. Colm decides to set off tonight rather than tomorrow, telling you he'll pitch a camp just south of here and storm them as soon as those supplies arrive. Whatever. You just need to hold down this fort, a simple enough task.

It's midnight, or at least you think it is. You've been tossing and turning all night, trying to get comfortable and sleep, but nature calls and you have to answer it. You hate getting aroused in the mountains, especially when it's late as the temperate seems to drop almost double the amount. But as always, you know the only way to get rid of this irritation between your legs is to get yourself off. 

You lower your pants to your thighs, just enough to reach between your legs and begin working at yourself. Thankfully, the camps been super quiet since Colm and Tommy left, taking most of their men to help storm the ranch. It sounded like they were going to war, and you were glad you were left behind to relax. 

You can let a few moans out, the sounds sliding from your lips as you continue to work yourself. Kieran quickly comes to mind, and this isn't the first time you've got off to him. There's just something about him, despite his scrawny build and the obvious need for a bath, he's oddly alluring and you can't help that your mind has so many questions about him. 

You've heard the phrase 'the thinner the waist, the bigger the dick', and Kieran definitely had a thin waste. Was he packing? Was that nervy little fella hung like a horse? You're sure you'll find out sooner or later. You could probably march over to the stables right now, tell him to drop his pants, and he would. You know he feels the same, you've seen the way he looks at you, and how flustered he got when you openly told him you were flirting with him. 

"Oh, Kieran," you sigh, letting out a few more moans as your thigh muscles begin to twitch. 

There's a sudden sound of crunching snow from outside. You lift your head off the pillow, trying to listen but the sound seems to have stopped. You peer over to your door, looking through the small crack at the bottom and you notice the shadow of somebody standing beside your cabin. They're lucky, standing by the side that happens to have no holes in, the rest of your cabin walls being covered with sheets and pelts to try and give you as much privacy as you can get. 

Something in your gut is telling you that you know exactly who that is, so why not put on a show? 

"Fuck!" you sigh as you begin getting yourself off again, rolling your head back into your pillow as your body gets warmer under the blankets. "Oh God, Kieran," you sigh, and this time you can hear a choked moan come from the stranger.

It's definitely him. 

Kieran has one hand holding himself up against your cabin the wall, the other palming his solid erection through his pants. 

' _I shouldn't be doing this,'_ Kieran thinks over and over, feeling disgusting that he's invading your privacy to get himself off. But you're moaning his name, and Kieran can't help but moan through gritted teeth as his knees go weaker by the second.

You moan his name again, and Kieran finally gives up, quickly looking around to make sure the camp was empty. He undoes his pants, pulling his cock out, and pulls off one glove so he can jerk himself, trying to ignore the coldness of his leather coat as it brushes against his erection. Kieran doesn't hold back, jumping straight into a rapid pace, trying to make this quick to prevent you or someone else from catching him. 

"Kieran," you sigh again, a little louder this time. He's not the best at being quiet as you can faintly hear the sound of him jerking himself, along with the muffled moans that manage to escape his mouth, even though he's biting his bottom lip. 

Your moans get louder as you near your orgasm, rolling your head back against your pillow. "Oh!" you yelp, not caring who else was nearby. Kieran sighs heavily, checking again to make sure nobody is nearby. He can feel his balls swelling up, getting closer to his own orgasm as you near yours. 

"Kieran Duffy," you sigh his full name. "Please make me cum," you moan. 

Kieran can't hold himself back any longer. He places his hand over his mouth as he cums, sighing heavily as his load hits the snow at his feet. The sound of Kierans muffled orgasm tips you over the edge, your body shaking as you cum. The noises you let out makes Kieran regret cumming early, but he's sure he'll have his own chance to make you let out those sounds again. 

By the time you've ridden your high and finally opened your eyes, Kieran has run off back to the stables. Why he was out this late, you'll never know, but you regret not calling for him to come and join you. Maybe you'll do that next time? But for now, you clean yourself off and eventually fall asleep.


	5. A date? Pt.1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for such the long wait, been a busy bee lately :0

  
You let out a sigh as you stretch, your back arching and your bones cracking. Sleeping on a wooden bed with no mattress becomes normal after a while, but that doesn't mean that your body doesn't ache every now and again. As your limbs relax, you look around the camp; the few men that were left behind are doing their usual chores, prepping for dinner and cleaning the guns, probably getting their work done early, so they can lounge about and drink, because what else is there to do up here? 

The sound of snow crunching perks your ears up, and you turn to see Kieran approaching. He was eager to call out for you, but that would look a little odd if those few men overheard him; the stable boy calling out to Colms daughter with a smile on his face. Colm would definitely end up finding out about that. 

"You're awake," you tell Kieran as he approaches you. 

"I am. You all ready to go?" Kieran asks. 

"Yeah, I got all the equipment packed," you tell him as you begin walking over to the stables with him, your bag slung over your shoulder. "You got the horses ready?" you ask.

"Of course, you want me to carry that for you?" 

"Nah, it's alright," you say with a gentle wave of your hand. 

"No, come on. I insist," Kieran tells you. You're about to protest again, but he's already peeling the bag off your shoulder, swinging it over his own arm instead. 

"Such a gentleman," you say with a roll of your eyes and a soft laugh. 

"Thank you, ain't right for a fella to let a woman carry the luggage," Kieran replies, entering the stable with you. 

"Kieran, I ain't sure if you've noticed this, but I ain't your typical woman," you say with another laugh, climbing up onto your mount and exiting the stables.

"My morals still stand, regardless of what kinda woman you are," Kieran says with a shrug, trotting behind you. 

  
Both of you set off, taking your time to reach Lake Isabella. There's always something satisfying about the sound of snow crunching, regardless of how many times you've heard it, but you enjoy hearing it in the background as your horse trots away. Kieran does most of the talking, and you'd almost forgotten about last night's close encounter until you make a slightly inappropriate joke that turns his face red. 

"You really think Tommy would do that? Listen in on someone going at it?" Kieran asks. He's eager to find out your reaction, worried that he may have crossed the line last night. Somehow, Kieran thinks he was quiet and hasn't picked up on the fact that you know he was listening in on you, but there's a glint in your eyes as you respond that makes Kieran's face turn even redder as he's reminded of last night's event. 

"I think he would, in some sick and perverted way," you say to Kieran. "But wouldn't most of us? Especially if you think there's no way they'll find out," you shrug.

"Well, would you?" Kieran questions, keeping his focus on you despite his flustered face, trying to pick up on any negative emotions you may display, though none cross your face. Instead, you continue to smirk. 

"I may do, but it's a lot harder for us women to get off whilst listening to them," you reply. The sight of Lake Isabella comes into view, and you begin looking out for somewhere nice to perch whilst you fish. 

"I guess so, yeah. Could always just... remember them noises for later?" 

"Or I could just make 'em myself," you tell Kieran, your eyes turning back to him as he speaks. Kieran has to look away, dipping his head under the brim of his hat. That feeling in his stomach is usually oddly pleasant, but today is spins and aches, almost making Kieran physically sick from how nervous and lovestruck he is.

Kieran's about to come up with a reply, but you've spoken first. "Let's pull over here. We can fish on that small boulder, it'll keep our boots dry and out of the snow," you tell him. 

"Sure," Kieran agrees with a nod.

Your horses are hitched to a tree nearby, away from the shade, so they can hopefully stay warm from the small amount of heat the sun provides. As Kieran unpacks the bag, laying its contents out on the boulder beneath your feet, you scout the waters and look out for any signs of a decent catch. 

"I heard there's a huge Salmon in this lake, huge fella, bright red too, so he's hard to miss," Kieran tells you.

"You think we'll catch him?" you question.

Kieran can't help but laugh as he stands, passing you your rod, his own in his other hand. "Course not, not with bread and cheese. You need a lure for that, a good one too," Kieran explains as he begins to hook some bait onto his line, passing you the leftovers.

"You never know," you say with a shrug. "Maybe this will be our lucky day."

"We'd need a lotta luck to catch that thing," Kieran replies just before swinging the rod over his shoulder and casting his line out, and you cast yours shortly after.

  
Fishing is... boring, well, only to those who aren't patient, but even a patient man such as Kieran slowly begins to tap his foot and scout the water as his hook remains empty. Time passes by, and you've reeled in a few small peckers, enough for a meal for two, but nothing special.

"Another one?" Kieran sighs as you reel one more in, and you can't help but smile at the sound of defeat in his voice.

"I thought you were meant to be the fisherman here, Kieran, not me," you laugh, chucking your catch into the bucket.

"So did I," he sighs, his bottom lip sticking out, making him too adorable for his own good.

"I'm only catching small fry though, I'm sure you'll compensate for me," you say with a wink before hooking another piece of bait on your line, biting at your tongue to prevent yourself from grinning at Kieran's reactions.

As always, his eyes have gone wide and his cheeks have turned red, picking up on your innuendo. "W-Well... I errr, compensate? Y-Yeah... sure..." Kieran mutters. He goes to open his mouth again but his head snaps away from you, hands tightening around his rod as finally, it begins to tug. "About time!" Kieran almost cheers, but his words are cut short as his catch begins to fight.

"Shit, hold on tight," you comment, watching as Kieran quickly begins struggling. His knuckles soon turn white, gripping onto the rod with all his strength as his feet begin to slip on the boulder, his worn shoes not providing him with enough grip. You don't hesitate to step in, reaching around Kieran's body and taking a hold of the rod, suddenly realizing the weight on Kieran's shoulders.

"I bet it's that Salmon," Kieran mutters under his breath, huffing and puffing, trying to catch his breath as this fish continues to tire him out.

You consider cutting the line, knowing that there's no way either of you are going to reel this beast in, but your decision is answered for you. The line snaps, sending you tumbling backward down the bolder, hitting the snow with a thud.

Your body is a little sore but thankfully, there's no serious injuries, maybe a few bruises to appear over the next week, but you'll survive. The sound of a screech makes you jump to your feet, picking yourself up out of the snow and climbing back up onto the boulder, expecting Kieran to be on top.

Kieran's body doesn't come into sight, at least not straight away, not until you look over the other side of the boulder to see Kieran flapping about in the icy lake, gasping for air, his body vibrating as he climbs out of the water.

"Shit," is all you can mumble, reaching down to lend Kieran a hand as you pull him up to safety. He's as sad as a wet dog, his clothes and hair soaked, thick clouds of fog appearing with every breath. He doesn't look at you, clearly embarrassed about his tumble, but finally snaps his head over as he watches you remove your coat.

"N-No.. You a-ain't gotta-" Kieran begins to protest, but you quickly hush him.

"C'mon, let's get you warmed up," you simply tell him.

He quits protesting, nodding in agreement and slowly standing. You order him to get mounted whilst you quickly pack up, swinging the bag over your shoulder and carrying your bucket of prizes. At least this trip was somewhat successful.

  
The ride back is rushed and bumpy, Kieran galloping a few paces ahead, though you're just as eager to get to warmth. You're thankful that you layered up today, but that doesn't mean that you're not cold without the thickness of your coat. The camp soon comes into your line of sight and Kieran rushes to enter the stable, not bothering to hitch Branwen.

"Get yourself changed and-"

"I ain't got another set of clothes," Kieran confesses, jittering as he watches you demount your horse.

You let out a sigh, frustrated at the situation, but not poor Kieran. "Let me fetch you some," you tell him, rushing from the stable and over to your cabin.

The clothes you pick out for him are mismatched and bland, but it's not a fashion show. Kieran is more than thankful when you hand them over, giving him some privacy to change whilst you go and get the fire going. A few smokey remains and red embers aren't going to warm him up, so you chuck on a couple of thick logs and feed the flames until they begin to dance and crackle, yourself forgetting about your lack of coat as the fire provides more than enough heat.

You've never seen Kieran run before, but he does as he darts straight for the heat, sitting by your side and quickly putting his hands out to begin warming himself up.

"A-ah, much better," he sighs, though there's still a slight stutter as he continues to shake.

Kieran hasn't had the time to do his coat up (your coat,) probably too focused on rushing to safety. So, you do it for him, not noticing the way Kieran watches you as you fasten him up, followed by tucking a scarf comfortably around his neck. His hair is still dripping in front of his face, so, you push it back, running your fingers along his hair and slicking it back.

"If only I had a towel," you mutter as you continue to groom him, your sense of personal boundaries far gone, though Kieran's safety is your only concern right now. You look like a cat who's trying her hardest to groom your young, probably your runt of the litter, and both of you are thankful that nobody is nearby to watch this mess of a show.

Finally, Kieran's hair is off his face and slowly drying, and he's no longer vibrating. He's back to his original self, a display of lovestruck-ness, sprinkled with some embarrassment. It's going to take him years to get over what just happened.

"Thank you," Kieran manages to tell you as you return to sitting beside him, leaning against the log behind you.

"It's alright," you tell him. "Least we still got some decent catches," you comment, trying to lighten the mood.

"You got them decent catches, not me. I just got... wet," he sighs, his eyes trailing to the campfire as he rests his head on his hands, propping his body up on his elbows.

"Either way, you're still gonna eat them with me. I may be an O'Driscoll, but I'm not Colm, I ain't gonna let you go hungry," you tell him with a smile.

Kieran sighs again but thanks you, his head dipped down, clearly still feeling an array of emotions. You decide not to comment on it for obvious reasons, letting him stew in the heat of his emotions whilst you begin prepping dinner.

Kieran quickly notices what you're doing, but before he can open his mouth, you've already turned his offer down. "Let me, you just focus on warming up, alright?"

"Alright," Kieran replies with a nod, leaving you to it. 


	6. A date? pt.2

  
Dinner is scoffed down. Unseasoned fish isn't the most glamorous meal, far from it, but it's the best you can get whilst living in this harsh environment. If only your father hadn't trailed up into the mountains whilst on the run from the law, maybe then you'd at least still be eating venison steaks every night, which is always an improvement from fish that falls apart the second you touch it.

Nevertheless, you're fed, and so is Kieran, who is now thankfully dry, minus the few odd strands of his hair. He made a comment as you ate about how he was dying for a bath, how he could always smell himself, "I stink like horse shit, I don't know how you can be near me," were his words, and you laughed him off as you assured him that he is now definitely clean.

Kieran pouted and grumbled, but you're right, he's clean and thankfully no longer cold.

  
"What do you think it is?" Kieran comments as he leans back against the log, his gaze focused on the sky.

"That's the moon, Kieran," you sarcastically reply, still sat beside him.

"I know that," Kieran rolls his eyes at you, "I mean what exactly is it? I heard it's a planet, like ours, but I ain't so sure."

"I've heard the same, from books and such. I guess we'll never truly know," you shrug.

"Nah, don't say that. I bet we'll find out one day, with this fancy new civilized machinery... we've got trains, and I heard they're tryna make a smaller version of them, ones that can drive on the dirt like a horse! I don't see why we need 'em though, we've got horses," Kieran shrugs, turning his gaze to you as he talks.

"We've got horses, yeah, but ain't it unfair on them? They must get tired," you reply.

"We all get tired, but... I mean, they could leave if they want, we ain't stoppin' them, at least most of us ain't. But they stay because we give 'em food and shelter, we employ them, I guess," Kieran explains to you.

He rolls his head back, resting it against the log as he snuggles down against it, but his gaze flicks over to you once more as you let out a laugh. "We employ them," you repeat, laughing at his words, though he's somewhat right.

"You're right, I ain't thought about it like that before," you laugh again, and your eyes meet his once your laughter has calmed. Kieran's eyes go wide, flicking around the camp before turning back to you; his cheeks have turned red, not from the campfire, but from the way you found humour in his words.

"You got a nice laugh," Kieran catches himself saying, and it's obvious the words weren't meant to slip from his mouth as he dips his head slightly.

"Thank you," you smile. Kieran's head raises again, meeting your eyes nervously, his cheeks becoming more flushed once he realizes that he's the one making you laugh and smile like this. "You're funny, Kieran, I'm glad I started spending time with you," you tell him.

If you thought his cheeks were red before, you'll be amazed at how red they are now. He stutters his reply, a simple "thank you," at first, and pauses before asking you what seems to be an important question. "I gott ask... are you happy here? I don't meant to pry but, uh, this lifestyle don't seem fair on you."

  
"This lifestyle isn't fair on any of us, and I doubt any of us are really happy here," you sigh, "I mean, look at my father, he's far from happy, but he chose to live like this."

It's hard to answer Kieran's question from your lack of knowledge; you were born into this lifestyle, raised by it, surrounded by murder, gangs, outlaws, and so on. The law has personally been on your tail for so long, but only because they know they can use you as bait to capture Colm, or so they think. You assume that if you were to be captured, that Colm would allow you to be taken away, to be hung after being used as failed bait. But who knows?

"Yeah, that's a thought," Kieran replies, "I just... I know it ain't my business, but I've always wondered what your plans are if Colm is to... disappear..." Kieran explains, his eyes on you, watching your body language as you think and talk.

"You know, I've thought about runnin' away before. I know I'd be fine on my own, but I fear my father will track me down and scold me for 'leaving him'," you roll your eyes.

Kieran lets out a soft laugh, "I ain't laughin' at you, I've just thought about doin' the same thing... and I also sussed that Colm would track me down too, even though I'm just a stable boy."

"I..." you pause, pulling an awkward face as you try to find the right words. "I don't mean any offence, but I doubt Colm would track you down. I doubt he'd track anyone in the, uh, lower ranks down. We get men go missin' all the time, Colm just calls it a loss and moves on."

"He does?" Kieran questions, "that's good to hear, I mean, if I did ever decide to just run away."

There's a pause, and Kieran's drawn to you, watching you think. You're captivated by the fire, running through all your thoughts, ensuring you find the right one before speaking your mind. "I'd go looking for you," you confess.

"You would?"

"Of course, I mean, I'd be worried if you just left one night. I'd fear that you've been captured or lost to the elements," you explain, your eyes meeting Kieran's as you talk.

"I-I wouldn't just leave, I can't do that... to you. I'd have to tell you first, maybe encourage you to run away with me," Kieran stutters. He pulls his gaze from yours, but snaps back when your reply hits him.

"I'd like that," you admit. "Runnin' away with you, Kieran, I'd be happy to do that. More than happy."

"What?" Kieran almost shrieks, "why? you got a lot going for you here, I know it's a gang and all, but it could be your gang one day."

"It won't, I know Tom's next in line, and it's unlikely that him and my father will drop off any time soon. But I kinda wanna move on from this, start a normal life, live on a farm and shovel pig shit or whatever. I ain't been raised normally, and I guess I miss something I've never had."

  
Kieran sighs your name, shifting his body so he's turned directly to you. It's hard to miss the way Kieran reaches out to you, to comfort you, only to draw his hand back with the fear of crossing a boundary. You show your willingness by shuffling closer to him, and in sync, you join together; your head comes to rest on Kieran's shoulder, his arm wrapping around your side, and his head resting on top of yours.

"You just say the word," Kieran softly tells you, "you just say it, and I'll make sure the horses are ready, and we'll run."

"You mean that?" you question, straightening your back so your eyes can meet his. There's a visible blush across his cheeks, but for once, Kieran doesn't divert his gaze. He looks at you with soft, warming eyes, a blend of sympathy and admiration in his gaze, and you know he isn't lying, but you're still asking for that reassurance.

"I mean it," Kieran reassures.

Kieran's hand finds yours, holding you tenderly, the pad of his calloused thumb trailing over the back of your hand. "Thank you," you smile at him, and Kieran smiles in return.

Was it you that leant in first, or Kieran? without words, you agreed to meet in the middle, and finally, after however long it's been of pining and flirting, you're now kissing. There's the usual awkwardness during a first kiss, noses bumping together as you try to find the perfect fit, but it's soon found, and all that both of you can feel is pure bliss.

Kieran's lips are slightly chapped, but still soft, cold from the icy air, but you're here to help warm him up. Neither of you bother to break away, deeping the kiss instead, mutually eager for each other. His hand finds your jawline, cupping it sweetly, almost as if he's holding you in place with the fear that you'll break away.

But you don't, why would you?

The only time you do break away is so you can catch your breath, curling up against Kieran once more, settling your head on his shoulder as he clings onto you for dear life. Not many words are exchanged; you enjoy each other's company, keeping warm by the fire, meeting each other's lips every so often, neither of you fearing that somebody will see, not when there's snow falling around the camp, and the sound of wandering footsteps is non-existent tonight.

For the first time in a long time, you feel calm, and so does Kieran. A stable boy and the daughter of a gang leader, keeping each other company throughout the night.


End file.
